Assistant Psychologist – Learning Disabilities

Job Description

We are recruiting for an Assistant Psychologist in Learning Disabilities working within a well-established Specialist Psychology service comprising of Counselling, Clinical and assistant Psychologists. The post holder will be expected to provide a qualified, high-quality specialist LD Psychology service to individuals, carers, families and groups within the London Borough of Sutton.

You will be responsible for holding and managing a clinical caseload to clients referred to the service and utilising planning and organisational skills to carry out assessments, treatment and discharge of clients within the parameters of the service operational policy.

Role responsibilities:

• Manage caseloads and be professionally responsible for offering evidence based Psychological practice governed by national and professional best practice guidance as evidenced by the use of outcome measures, feedback forms and service evaluations
• Provide specialist Psychological assessments of clients referred to the team
• Provide specialist Psychological advice, guidance, training and consultation to other professionals/carers contributing directly to clients’ formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan
• Demonstrate high level expertise in adapting Psychological assessments, interventions and reports to the cognitive, communication, sensory, social and physical needs of people with Learning Disabilities and their carers
• Take an active role in working with clients who present with behaviour that challenges following best practice guidance to inform the MDT, Social Services, carers, external providers and families on how best to support the client through the use of Positive Behavioural Support
• Undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide advice to other professions and or carers on Psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management
• Deliver complex service activities and manage caseloads to ensure intended outcomes for customers and the governing authority are delivered within agreed service standards
• Liaise with customers to review service requirements and resolve problems
• Lead on the development of specific policies and procedures to contribute to the continuous improvement in own work area
• Where relevant co-ordinate the work of a team, either formally or as part of a project to ensure individual and team objectives are delivered
• Maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping including electronic data entry and recording and report writing in accordance with the requirements of Information Governance, NHS Code of Confidentiality, Data Protection Act 1998 and also the terms and conditions in your contract of employment

Qualifications and Skills:

• BSc/Msc Psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental Psychology as accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS)
• HCPC registered Practitioner Clinical Psychologist
• Skills in the use of complex methods of Psychological assessment, intervention and management
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised Psychological assessments and therapies used with adult clients with learning disabilities
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with client, carers and other partners, using appropriate systems to relay clinically sensitive information.
• Good organisational and prioritisation skills
• Clear and effective decision making
• Ability to work autonomously as well as effectively with team members and other partner agencies
• Car Driver/ Owner – Preferable

It is mandatory for applicants applying for this role to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus and provide proof excluding those who are medically exempt.

If you feel you have the right values and skills to become part of our dynamic team and can deliver high standards of care then we would love to hear to from you!

To apply you have to be a UK resident, due to the high volume of applicants our team will get in touch with you to arrange an interview if you are successful.